Blog

Equipment manufacturers and B2B marketers typically have a niche target audience that makes broad advertising tactics a waste of money. Instead, campaigns targeted to specific industries, companies, and positions within those companies are more effective because the marketing budget can be honed in on the right people - potential buyers.

Trade shows are back and based on our experience at Pack Expo in October, we expect record numbers of attendees for 2023 equipment manufacturing events. Attendees are eager to see products in action and talk to experts whose products and services can streamline their industrial processes, improve their output, and reduce production expenses. Equipment manufacturers hosting exhibits say meaningful relationships are built when they can talk directly with buyers and clearly demonstrate the value they offer. While trade shows are energizing, you’ve likely experienced sensory overload with the creative ways exhibitors vie for attention. So as an exhibitor, even if you are in a large booth with a good location, interactive exhibits, and top-notch giveaways - how can you be sure you are reaching your best prospects? Digital marketing before and after the event will improve your connections at the show and extend your reach for months beyond.

Social media platforms have been available for businesses for over ten years yet many manufacturers still dismiss the platforms as frivolous rather than embracing the potential to build a brand reputation through organic posting and to target specific audiences with ads. Social media is not just for B2C brands and taking a look at Industry Week’s top 10 manufacturing companies, leading B2B manufacturing marketing departments leverage the platform for branding. (Ironically, Clorox and Apple, the two manufacturers of consumer products in the top ten list, are the least active on Facebook.)

Originally published April 2017. Updated July 2018. Is your business struggling to achieve social media success? Is your company thinking about taking the plunge into social media advertising? Are you getting beat by competitors and looking for a new social media strategy? Companies across the world have had success advertising on social platforms, but others have fallen flat on their face.

Note: This post was originally published in June 2016, and updated in July 2018 to include industry benchmark data. Overall engagement trends among the top social platforms have remained relatively steady since the original article was published. Two recent studies have revealed interesting trends in social media engagement, and it may impact how brands invest their social media time.

You've no doubt heard about the controversy over Facebook's use of customer data. For marketers, Facebook has developed excellent targeting capabilities that can produce an impressive ROI. But if Facebook is in hot water over improper data handling, what does it mean for advertisers? If you currently advertise on Facebook, or have considered trying it, we want to update you on how you may be impacted.

Historically, LinkedIn advertising has lagged behind other digital ad platforms, like Facebook and Google, in terms of targeting capabilities. For that reason, we haven't recommended investing a lot of ad dollars or time in the social network. Until now. As of April 2017, LinkedIn is right back in the mix for B2B advertising. New targeting options offer some exciting opportunities to really narrow in on an audience and reach them with just the right message.

Just like other online advertising channels, freshness is critical to the success of Facebook advertising campaigns. If you only have one set of copy and one ad image, your campaign is sure to run out of steam quickly. One way to keep your campaigns fresh is to edit ad copy and images frequently. Another way is to use the Facebook Carousel feature, which allows you to display multiple graphics & copy within one ad. Not only is it a great way to keep your ads fresh and varied, it's also a great way to test what's working and what isn't. So, what are you waiting for? Here's a step-by-step guide for creating, customizing and editing a Facebook Carousel Ad:

We often hear from clients that the online marketing world is tough to navigate. They rely on us to provide guidance and clarity so they can make the best decisions for their credit union. The constant development of new technology and the rate at which marketing managers need to adopt new technologies can present a unique challenge, especially in more traditional marketing departments.

Last month I shared my thoughts on why organizations fail with digital marketing. Continuing this theme, the following post will discuss the digital marketing tactics most prone to failure, and why it is they fail.